JIM WEBB PODCAST

Jaksot

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  RON DODSON: US Admits Space Weapons: Did the US Kill a Chinese Satellite? 16.09.2026 1t

  A satellite breaks apart, a few well-timed headlines hit, and suddenly “space weapons” stops sounding like a movie plot and starts sounding like policy. We sit down with Ron Dodson to unpack the Chinese satellite fragmentation story through the lens of OSINT, orbital mechanics, and what the debris field can and can’t prove. We talk retrograde orbits, why modern sensors shrink the world, and why a breakup that doesn’t fully vaporize the parent craft raises uncomfortable questions about intent, capability, and messaging.From there we zoom out to the bigger shift: the collapse of the civilian vs military divide in satellite surveillance and commercial ISR. If a platform can support targeting, it becomes part of the battlefield, whether it’s branded as “remote sensing” or not. We also dig into escalation risk, Kessler syndrome, and the quiet nightmare scenario hiding in plain sight: GPS vulnerability and how dependent everything is on positioning, navigation, and timing, from aviation to shipping to the phone in your pocket.Then we bring it back home. Red Sea disruption, Strait of Hormuz pressure, and oil chokepoints don’t stay “over there” for long. We connect the dots to inflation, diesel-driven supply chain costs, and why rate hikes and dollar demand still shape what you pay for gas, groceries, and mortgages. Ron also lays out a forward-looking view on housing market liquidity and the political volatility he expects as economic strain meets a chaotic election calendar.If you care about geopolitics, space security, inflation, or how global shocks land in your daily budget, you’ll want to hear this one. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review with your take: are we already in a space arms race, or is this still deterrence theater?Chapter Markers0:00 Space Weapons Enter The Headlines3:05 Meet Ron Dodson And The Mystery8:40 How Retrograde Orbits Change Surveillance14:55 Debris Clues And What Did Not Happen21:10 Directed Energy Or Simple Malfunction27:35 Civilian Satellites Become Military Targets33:10 GPS Vulnerability And Escalation Risks39:40 Red Sea And Hormuz Shock The Economy45:55 Rates, Dollars, Sanctions, And Inflation53:05 Housing Liquidity And Political Volatility58:20 Where To Follow Ron And ClosingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  Iran Plays Their TRUMP Card: Fuel Prices Skyrocket and the US is out of Options 15.09.2026 30min

  Gas prices don’t jump in a vacuum. When the world’s oil and shipping arteries get squeezed, the pain shows up in the most personal place possible: the pump. We start with a quick dose of real life, taking the kids to Princess Day at a ballpark, then pivot to a serious breakdown of why the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Strait of Hormuz suddenly feel like domestic issues for anyone who drives, ships, or buys groceries.We walk through why the Houthis are not simply a push-button Iranian proxy and why underestimating a hardened militia leads to bad decisions. Using an analogy drawn from Appalachian history and the Battle of Kings Mountain, we talk about what happens when outside powers try to force submission on mountain communities that would rather die on their feet. That history frames the modern story of Yemen, including the long Saudi-led blockade, the humanitarian fallout, and the predictable blowback that follows years of civilian suffering.From there, we connect the tactical to the economic: disciplined fighters, asymmetric warfare, and the reality that a dispersed militia can “melt away” and reappear when it suits them. We also dig into regional escalation and infrastructure vulnerability, including strikes that threaten Saudi export routes and the ripple effects across global energy markets. The result is a price shock that is easy to dismiss on cable news but impossible to ignore when diesel crosses $6, stations throttle purchases, and the cost of moving everything rises with it.If you want a grounded, unsentimental look at Middle East geopolitics, energy security, and why there may be no clean military fix, hit play. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review with your take on what the US should do next.Chapter Markers0:00 Princess Day And Opening Banter0:17 Straits Closed And Gas Spikes1:32 Viral Houthi Video And Comparison4:02 Kings Mountain And Mountain Defiance7:48 Yemen Blockade And Humanitarian Toll10:44 Discipline Footage And Field Tactics12:13 Pipeline Strikes And Saudi Vulnerability17:57 Oil Jumps And Diesel Sticker Shock21:24 No Clean Military Fix28:28 Photos Plus Guest And Chicago PlansSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  SCOTT HORTON : 25 Years Since 9/11: Forever Wars and Blowback Persist 11.09.2026 1t 15min

  Twenty five years after 9/11, the hardest question isn’t “what happened” but “what did we do with it.” We sit down with Scott Horton to follow the consequences that rarely make the highlight reel: how the War on Terror expanded, how the Iraq War got sold to the public, and why so many policymakers still can’t (or won’t) explain who won, who lost, and what it all changed.We talk blowback in plain terms, including the way U.S. basing, interventions, and alliances shape motives for retaliation over time. Scott lays out the split between al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the decisions around Tora Bora, and the propaganda fog that helped merge unrelated enemies into one convenient villain. From there we track how Iraq empowered Iran, radicalized a new generation, and fed the later chaos in Syria, including the uneasy reality of jihadist groups rebranding as “political” actors.We also confront the part people tiptoe around: how American support for Israel is cited again and again in extremist messaging and in the stated motives behind multiple attacks, including the Bourbon Street vehicle-ramming attack. None of this excuses violence; it’s about understanding cause and effect so we stop making the same security mistakes while pretending they’re surprises.If you want a serious, detailed conversation about 9/11, the War on Terror, U.S. foreign policy, Iraq, Gaza, Iran, the Houthis, and why “each intervention necessitates the next one,” hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone who still has questions, and leave a review with the biggest lesson you think the country missed.Chapter Markers0:00 Twenty Five Years After 9/113:03 Why No One Learned The Details8:16 Conflating Al Qaeda With Taliban12:35 Iraq War Lies And Public Division20:10 The Long Trail Of Blowback28:01 Iraq Empowered Iran And ISIS37:21 Clean Break And Chalabi’s Play43:40 Gaza And The Blank Check Problem54:48 Bourbon Street And Modern Blowback1:03:14 The Only Exit Is To Quit1:05:35 Jolani In A Suit In Syria1:10:22 Houthis, Iran, And Failing Bases1:14:31 Final Thoughts And Sign OffSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  ERIC JENNINGS: Defense Acquisition Takes Tax Dollars First and Puts the Warfighter Last 10.09.2026 55min

  Defense procurement is one of those topics people think will be boring until they realize it decides who gets the right gear in time and who doesn’t. We get blunt about what’s broken in the defense acquisition process, from outright corruption to the quieter kind of capture that happens when lobbying, PAC money, and “market for access” behavior becomes normal. If you’ve ever wondered why the Pentagon can spend enormous sums and still struggle with speed, stockpiles, and mission readiness, we connect the dots in plain language.We walk through concrete examples that show the difference between street-level graft and structural influence. That includes the Fat Leonard scandal and why it’s a textbook case of procurement capture, plus a look at a major 2024 settlement involving defective pricing and bribery allegations. Then we turn to the biggest symbol of acquisition dysfunction: the F-35 program, its readiness rates, and the idea of sustainment lock-in where proprietary data and contractor-controlled logistics make the government a captive customer for decades.After that, Eric Jennings (host of the World XP podcast) joins us from inside the DoD acquisitions world to explain why requirements take so long, how DFARS-driven compliance stacks up, and why risk aversion can freeze decision making. We also get practical about solutions: empowering decisions lower in the chain, cutting dead time in review queues, using SBIR and faster contracting vehicles, and being honest about when commercial off-the-shelf gear helps and when ruggedization and sustainment realities bite back.If you care about defense contracting reform, Pentagon procurement, and getting capability to the field faster without sacrificing safety, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone who follows national security, and leave a review with the one change you’d make first.Chapter Markers0:00 Why Procurement Shapes National Power1:30 Why Gear Arrives Late3:10 Street-Level Corruption And Kickbacks4:45 Fat Leonard And Procurement Capture5:40 Raytheon Case And Weapon Shortages6:51 Lobbying And Structural Influence8:34 The F-35 Sustainment Lock-In12:55 Eric Jennings On Requirements Bottlenecks18:40 Speed Versus Safety In Fielding26:27 How Fast Can Anything Ship33:51 Adapting Faster Than Competitors41:04 SBIR And Commercial Off The Shelf49:20 When Process Becomes The Product52:04 Premier League Picks And ClosingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  MATT HOH: THE 9/11 GENERATION: Two Marines Look Back at 25 Years of Endless War 09.09.2026 58min

  Twenty-five years after 9/11, the story we were handed still fights the facts. We bring back Matt Hoh, Marine veteran and former State Department official, to rewind the clock to the morning of the attacks and then follow the chain reaction through the Global War on Terror, the Iraq War, and the long hangover many GWOT veterans carry today. If you’ve ever wondered how a “temporary” mission becomes a generation-spanning conflict, this conversation puts real dates, real decisions, and real consequences on the table.We start with where we were on September 11 and how the country processed fear before social media, then shift into what Matt saw from inside the Pentagon and later inside Iraq’s occupation apparatus. He breaks down the Coalition Provisional Authority mindset, the deep ignorance baked into many policies, and how reconstruction and “money as a weapon system” can quickly become a pipeline for corruption, militia power, and more violence. We also dig into debaathification, sectarian dynamics, and why “spreading democracy” rhetoric collapses when it hits local politics and human reality.From Anbar Province to the Sunni Awakening and the later rise of ISIS, Matt connects tactical turning points to strategic failure, then brings it forward to the present: moral injury, the feeling of betrayal, and the growing risk of blowback as the US stays entangled in Middle East conflicts, including Gaza and rising tensions with Iran. We close on the hard question: how do we reverse this? Matt’s answer is blunt about political costs, media narratives, and why independent voices matter.If this hit a nerve, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. What do you think actually reduces blowback and prevents the next forever war?Chapter Markers0:06 Time Catches Up Fast1:57 Finding Matt Ho’s Starting Point2:53 9/11 Inside A Breacher Course5:51 A Freshman’s View Of National Shock10:26 From Okinawa To The Pentagon15:02 Iraq Reconstruction Meets Cash And Militias17:50 Debaathification And Occupation Ignorance26:06 The Anbar Awakening And Sudden Quiet31:54 Veteran Betrayal And Broken Narratives38:21 Exceptionalism Versus Strategic Empathy49:32 Blowback From Gaza To Iran55:15 Making War Politically Expensive58:08 Closing Thanks And Subscribe AskSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  COL. DOUGLAS MACGREGOR: Trump administration falling into the abyss and it may already be too late 08.09.2026 52min

  The Persian Gulf isn’t a chessboard, it’s a map with consequences, and we keep acting like geography doesn’t matter. Col. Douglas MacGregor joins us to connect a brutal Civil War lesson from Fredericksburg to today’s Strait of Hormuz reality: Iran sits close, mobilized, and treats this as existential, while the United States signals strength with forces that can be pushed offshore by drones and missiles.We get into what a “blockade” really means when logistics are stretched, oil prices jump, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is no longer the backstop people assume. From there, we zoom out to the political layer: why Congress so often follows the same donors across party lines, why a mass casualty event might trigger “why are we there?” instead of a rush to war, and how the growing people versus state divide in Europe could foreshadow turbulence in the United States.Then we tackle leadership and modernization: perverse incentives in the senior ranks, too many cooks at the top, and why the US military talks about experimentation but too often rigs the outcome. Doug also argues that Iran and Russia are civilizational states that fight differently when they believe survival is on the line, and that misunderstanding that mindset leads to disasters we could have predicted.If you found this useful, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What do you think is the hardest truth Washington is refusing to face right now?Chapter Markers0:00 Labor Day Return And Guest Setup2:50 Fredericksburg Lessons For Modern War5:00 Iran’s Geographic Advantage In The Gulf14:20 Mass Casualties And Congress Incentives18:30 The Growing Divide Between People And State23:20 Empire Thinking And The Petrodollar Bargain27:30 Drones Missiles And A Navy Pushed Offshore30:40 Why Military Experimentation Keeps Failing32:00 Senior Leader Turnover And Broken Incentives40:40 Total War Mindsets In Iran And Russia46:10 Civilizational Blind Spots And Unsustainable War50:30 Reexamining Strategy And Final TakeawaysSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  LARRY JOHNSON : Former IDF Solider as Secretary of Army ?!? 02.09.2026 52min

  The fastest way to misunderstand the Iran crisis is to treat it like a series of isolated strikes. We look at how retaliation, shipping risk, and market psychology combine into one escalating system where the Strait of Hormuz becomes the pressure point for the global economy and US domestic prices. When missiles fly and officials insist everything is “under control,” the real test shows up in oil, insurance, diesel, and aviation fuel and it can hit your wallet long before any policy admits failure.Larry Johnson joins us to dig into the strategy problem underneath the headlines: if Iran can still strike regional targets and threaten bases, what does “winning” even mean? We talk timing, CENTCOM posture, and why bravado can backfire when markets open and confidence drops. From helium and computer chip supply to fertilizer inputs and disrupted grain flows, we connect energy security to the risk of broader shortages and even a future global food crisis. We also confront America’s growing debt burden and why it limits resilience when the next shock arrives.Then we turn to the information war. Paid influencers, media narratives, and official talking points don’t land the way they used to and that’s both a warning and an opportunity. We unpack what critical thinking looks like when claims about mines, shipping lanes, and “open straits” clash with events on the ground. Finally, we hit the Pentagon side: leadership churn, rumors about the next Secretary of the Army, donor influence, and why mixing the military with politics corrodes trust fast.If you want more episodes that connect geopolitics, national security, and real-world economic consequences, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of this story do you think people are still missing?Chapter Markers0:08 Middle East Flashpoints And Pentagon Chaos1:36 Why Moscow Dialogue Still Matters3:33 America And Russia See Power Differently7:33 Sanctions Absurdity And What Teams Teach13:20 Iran Escalation Meets Market Reality18:58 Hormuz Chokepoint And Fuel Shortages27:12 Helium, Fertilizer, Wheat And Debt Warnings31:58 Mines, Media Claims, And Gulf Reality38:24 Paid Influencers And Modern Propaganda44:04 Army Leadership Rumors And Donor Power47:28 The Military And Politics Don’t Mix52:29 “Mowing The Lawn” And The Road AheadSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  PETER MAGUIRE: AI Is the Greatest Financial Scam in History — The Analog Rebellion Begins 01.09.2026 1t 2min

  They told him his life’s work was worth $3,000 a book, and he says they took it first. Peter Maguire joins me to lay out why he refused a settlement tied to Anthropic’s alleged copying of hundreds of thousands of copyrighted books for AI training, including three of his own. We get specific about what’s being copied, how authors discovered it, and why “AI training” can look a lot like intellectual grand larceny when the money flows one way and creators are left with scraps.From there, the conversation expands into how power works now: platform monopolies, automated enforcement, and the modern reality of deplatforming. Peter walks through his experience with Meta, including being knocked offline with devastating accusations and getting no clear path to a real human appeal. We connect those experiences to a wider breakdown in trust, the revolving door between government and Silicon Valley, and the way Big Tech can quietly shape what you can find, share, and even think you’re allowed to question.We also hit the cultural side of the AI boom: data centers, surveillance anxiety, and the false promise that everything important can be measured. Whether it’s war, writing, or a fight camp, the human element matters, and metrics miss the part that counts when pressure hits. If you care about free speech, copyright, creative work, and who gets to set the rules for the next era of technology, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your take: should AI companies have to pay creators up front?Chapter Markers0:00 Why AI Feels Like A Threat1:18 Meet Peter McGuire2:29 Anthropic’s Alleged Book Theft6:05 Refusing The $3,000 Per Book Deal9:46 The 2001 Case That Put Him On Lists13:05 Surveillance And Travel Hassles19:57 Meta Deplatforming And False Accusations26:32 Tech Oligarchs And A Cultural Recalibration31:56 War Rules Torture And Blowback39:12 Noble Lies Data Centers And Control48:18 Trust Breakdown In Elections And Tech53:58 Why Humans Resist Being Quantified58:26 AI Valuations The Bubble And Collapse1:00:08 Where To Follow Peter And ClosingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  BUCK JOHNSON. : Is Trump Considering Nukes in Iran ? 31.08.2026 1t

  Tactical nukes shouldn’t show up in a PowerPoint like they’re just another tool, but that’s where the conversation has drifted and it tells us something ugly about the moment we’re living in. We sit down with Buck Johnson of Counterflow to unpack the fast-moving Iran conflict, the whiplash of headline-driven escalation, and the creeping sense that America is sleepwalking into choices most citizens never imagined would be on the table.We dig into the arc of the war and why “we’re stuck” can be the most honest summary: bad assumptions, contested intelligence, and leaders trying to save face after promising quick outcomes. From there, we zoom out to the constitutional crisis underneath it all: Congress losing its war powers, the executive branch acting as the permanent engine of conflict, and what that does to the republic over time. If you care about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, natural law, and the long-term cost of the military-industrial complex, this conversation stays grounded in those stakes.Then we go where most geopolitics talk never goes: the moral and spiritual roots of all of it. Buck connects nuclear rhetoric, cultural decline, and the “Acknowledge Me” validation economy, arguing that a society trained on immediate gratification struggles to practice restraint, sacrifice, or humility. We talk Orthodox Christianity, fasting, self-denial, real leadership, and why refusing to put faith in princes might be the first step toward rebuilding a healthier center of gravity.If this challenged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the one takeaway you don’t want to forget.Chapter Markers0:00 Hard Questions To Start2:11 Iran Escalation And War Confusion7:20 Bad Intel And No Exit Plan10:12 Faith Over Ideology In Politics15:49 Tactical Nukes Enter The Conversation24:20 Who Refuses An Unjust Order30:31 Leadership Decline And Idiocracy Fears31:48 The Acknowledge Me Culture38:52 Discipline Through Training And Sacrifice43:02 From Atheism To Orthodox Christianity51:03 Tradition, Home, And Faith Practices55:46 Burning Ego Away To Rebuild Culture59:11 Where To Follow BuckSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  DANIEL McADAMS : 6 Months of illegal War - Hormuz is Closed - The Dollar Under Attack Within! 28.08.2026 36min

  Six months into a war with Iran and still no authorization, no real debate, and no clear off ramp. That fact alone should stop you cold, because it points to something bigger than any single conflict: a Congress that is no longer acting like a co equal branch of government, even as the US stacks blockade style actions, sanctions threats, and “maximum pressure” messaging that may not be enforceable in the real world.Daniel McAdams, executive director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, joins me to connect the dots between war powers, congressional oversight, and the incentives that keep elected officials quiet. We also dig into the growing anxiety around economic warfare and the US dollar, including the idea that recent moves could be setting up a dangerous kind of devaluation. Along the way we talk stablecoins, T bills, the national debt, and why interest payments are becoming the silent monster that can consume everything from the military budget to Medicare and Social Security.The thread running through it all is credibility, at home and abroad. When Washington makes sweeping threats it cannot fully enforce, rivals adapt and allies take notes. We close with a grounded question: how does the next generation break through barriers like donor machines and party gatekeepers without getting absorbed by the system, and what does a Thomas Massey style model look like in practice?Subscribe for more, share this with a friend, and leave a rating or review so more people can find the show.Chapter Markers0:00 War Timeline And Cold Open2:07 Sanctions And A Dollar Crash Theory5:58 Congress As A Weak Co Equal9:19 Six Months Into Iran Without AUMF13:22 When American Power Starts Melting15:19 Allies Watch Cracks Spread In Asia18:35 Can Congress Take Authority Back24:21 How The Next Generation Breaks Through29:09 Ron Paul Institute Conference Pitch31:16 Host Recap And Weekend Sign OffSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  LARRY JOHNSON : Why is the CIA in Moscow ? Ukraine plans to send Women to the Front Line! 27.08.2026 48min

  A CIA director flies into Moscow on a C-17, and the move feels anything but routine. We talk through what that kind of high-profile visit can realistically accomplish, why the loudest rumors don’t hold up, and what Russia would actually want to hear from Washington after years of broken assurances and escalating strikes.Larry Johnson joins me to map the Russia Ukraine war as it looks right now: pressure along the line of contact, the possibility of a renewed push toward Kyiv, and why Odessa remains a strategic north star for Moscow. We also react to the St. Petersburg car bomb and what it says about escalation, retaliation, and the limits of “messaging” when the battlefield timeline keeps moving.Then we pivot hard into economics and national security: Iran sanctions, secondary sanctions, and the risk of weaponizing the U.S. dollar into irrelevance. We get specific about de-dollarization, SWIFT vs China’s CIPS, why more countries are buying gold, and how rising U.S. debt depends on global confidence that can disappear faster than policymakers expect. If you care about foreign policy, reserve currency status, and what happens when strategy turns into improvisation, this conversation is for you.Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who follows geopolitics, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or your strongest disagreement.Chapter Markers0:00 Cold Open On Moscow Visit1:14 Welcome And Setting The Stakes2:15 Why Fly A C-179:04 Car Bomb And Escalation Fears10:21 Russia’s Offensive Outlook And Trust Gap15:43 Kyiv, Odessa, And Endgame Scenarios19:39 Drafting Ukrainian Women Into Combat25:32 Iran Sanctions And Dollar Threats31:16 De-Dollarization, Debt, And Gold39:51 Planning Failures And What Comes Next47:18 Closing And Conference PromoSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  DAVE BENNER : Trump’s Iran War Is Coming Home — The Midterms Could Be the Reckoning 26.08.2026 59min

  A primary win in South Carolina kicks off a bigger question we can’t ignore: if voters keep saying they’re sick of endless wars and DC corruption, why do the same pro-war operators keep rising to the top? We unpack what the turnout numbers and candidate messaging suggest about a brewing “blue” shift, and why a populist economic message paired with anti-war clarity is landing with independents who feel squeezed by inflation, gas prices, and grocery bills.From there, we go deeper than campaign headlines. We argue about what changed in the American system when senators stopped being chosen by state legislatures, and why the 17th Amendment debate matters for federalism, lobbying influence, and who government actually serves. We also confront the modern surveillance state with plain language: FISA 702, hop analysis, Patriot Act logic, and how tools like Flock cameras and massive data platforms normalize warrantless tracking in everyday life, colliding with the Fourth Amendment’s original purpose.We then connect campaign finance and foreign influence to policy outcomes, including Citizens United, super PAC power, and the incentives that keep Washington addicted to escalation. Finally, we lay out why sanctions and “economic warfare” often operate as collective punishment that hardens resolve abroad while expanding state power at home, with Iran as the immediate case study and BRICS realignment and de-dollarization as long-term risks. If you care about US foreign policy, civil liberties, and how elections actually work, you’ll leave with sharper questions and clearer lines between cause and effect.Subscribe for more, share this with someone who argues politics in good faith, and leave a review with the one issue you think could realign American voters next.Chapter Markers0:00 Welcome And What’s At Stake1:55 South Carolina Primary Shockwaves7:54 The 17th Amendment And Lobby Capture13:52 FISA, Flock Cameras, And The Fourth20:12 Citizens United And Foreign Election Money25:27 Sanctions As Collective Punishment34:43 Blue Wave Talk And Impeachment Risks43:29 Iran War Fallout And Tulsi’s Role48:12 Leadership, Pardons, And JFK Files53:47 Zionism Through An Orthodox Jewish Lens57:11 Where To Find Dave And WrapSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  ROBERT BARNES : Bessent's BullSh*T Will Destroy the Dollar - Midterm Election Analysis 25.08.2026 54min

  “Leave the dollar system” is the kind of tough talk that sounds powerful right up until you ask what it breaks and who it benefits. We dig into the idea of an “economic D-Day” aimed at Iran and why weaponizing secondary sanctions can undermine the very advantage the US thinks it’s using. The key distinction we keep coming back to is simple: the US dollar is one thing, but access to the US-led financial system is another, and threatening the “tracks” can push the world to lay new ones.We walk through SWIFT, OFAC, and the growing ecosystem of SWIFT alternatives and parallel payment rails, including China’s CIPS and broader BRICS-style efforts. We also get blunt about why sanctions regimes repeatedly fail to achieve political goals when targeted states are food self-sufficient, fuel self-sufficient, and able to sustain national security production. Add in China’s leverage through rare earth supply chains and refining capacity, and the downside risks start to look less theoretical and more like self-inflicted damage.Then we bring it home to US politics. We connect foreign policy escalation to midterm election dynamics, voter realignment, and the “kitchen table” effects that show up fast in consumer confidence, prices, and trust. We also argue that resilience is not just bombs and bases, it’s incentives: fixing corruption-driven procurement, reducing monopoly bottlenecks, and defending food freedom so people can buy directly from farmers and ranchers without needless barriers.If you’re worried about de-dollarization, sanctions backfire, and what all of this means for 2026 and beyond, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review if you want more clear-eyed analysis like this. What’s the bigger risk right now: overusing sanctions or underestimating the political blowback?Chapter Markers0:00 Tech Trouble And The Big Warning1:26 Economic D-Day And Dollar Threats4:35 SWIFT Alternatives And De-Dollarization6:02 Weaponizing Financial Rails Backfires10:28 Why Iran Sanctions Won’t Work19:35 New Middle East Power Alignments25:40 Midterm Map And Voter Realignment30:35 Corruption Incentives And Food Freedom47:50 Odds Of Course Correction And Removal51:00 Third-Party Pressure And Closing CTAsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  KYLE ANZALONE : Trump's Economic Blockade will not work. American Farmers Fuming over Argentine Beef 24.08.2026 52min

  Iran says it wants an off ramp. Washington says it wants a deal. Then Washington also says it wants regime collapse. That gap between messaging and policy is where wars start, and it’s exactly what we unpack with Kyle Anzalone of the Libertarian Institute and The Kyle Anzalone Show.We walk through Iran’s latest public statements about negotiations, why Tehran may believe American promises expire with the next administration, and how the JCPOA still hangs over every “better deal” claim. Kyle breaks down the logic of sanctions as economic warfare and why attempts to financially strangle Iran can push the conflict into the military domain, where retaliation becomes more likely and harder to control.Then we zoom in on the real-world pressure points: oil shipping, tanker movements, and what a serious confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz could mean for energy markets and regional bases. We also look at China’s role, strategic reserves, and the limits of the popular idea that the US can simply cut off Beijing’s oil.Finally, we pivot back home to the politics driving it all: the report of Israeli government-linked ad spending tied to Ted Cruz’s podcast and PAC activity, what Citizens United enables, and why foreign influence and campaign cash keep showing up in places voters actually feel, like the price and quality of beef at the store.If you got value from this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Chapter Markers0:00 Welcome And Guest Catch Up3:03 Iran Signals A Negotiation Off Ramp6:47 Economic War And Regional Retaliation9:12 Peace Messaging Through Religious History13:32 Why Tehran Stops Trusting Washington24:08 Strait Of Hormuz Oil Leverage33:58 China’s Tanker Shield And Limits34:02 Israel Sponsoring Ted Cruz’s Podcast39:14 Citizens United And Voter Power44:14 Argentina Beef Imports Hit US Ranchers50:20 Where To Find Kyle And ClosingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  DARRYL COOPER - The Battle of Blair Mountain - PART TWO 21.08.2026 1t 21min

  A courthouse killing lights the fuse, and suddenly thousands of coal miners decide the only way to be heard is to march. We sit down with Darryl Cooper, author of Rough Extraction, to track how the West Virginia Mine Wars escalate into the Battle of Blair Mountain, a fight so large it forces the federal government to pay attention. This is not folklore or a vague “labor clash” story, it is trenches, machine guns, prisoners taken on both sides, and a state government openly admitting it cannot control its own territory.We dig into what pushes people past normal politics: martial law enforced along class lines, miners jailed without charges, tent colonies raided, and the shock of Sid Hatfield being gunned down on courthouse steps in front of his wife. Then we follow the march itself, including how World War I veterans bring leadership and small-unit discipline that turns a mass of angry men into something closer to an organized force. Along the way we talk about solidarity across race and nationality, the miners’ belief that “Uncle Sam” simply hasn’t been told the truth, and why figures like Mother Jones fail to stop what’s already in motion.Finally, we break down the decisive shift when Washington gets the call: the threat of U.S. Army intervention, early use of aircraft in domestic conflict, and the moment the uprising ends. We also wrestle with the long aftermath, what reforms actually change in the 1920s and 1930s, and the bigger question Blair Mountain leaves behind: what makes a government feel legitimate to the people living under it. If this episode hits you, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves American history, and leave a review telling us what you think the miners should have done instead.Chapter Markers0:00 A Century Later At Blair Mountain2:16 Martial Law Targets The Miners12:57 Sid Hatfield’s Murder Ignites Everything14:29 Veterans Turn Rage Into Organization19:03 When Justice Depends On Rifles25:41 On To Mingo The March Builds29:43 Blair Mountain Fortifies For War32:54 Mother Jones Tries To Stop It37:30 Washington Gets The Emergency Call42:18 Blair Mountain Becomes A Battlefield49:43 The U.S. Army Ends The Uprising55:35 What Changed After Blair Mountain1:20:06 Wrap Up And Conference PlugSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  WAR PORN: Propaganda, Fear & the Business of Conflict 20.08.2026 46min

  Watching someone run for the US Senate and casually admit they are “not informed” on national security should stop you cold, because the Senate doesn’t vote on vibes. We dig into that moment and what it reveals about how war gets normalized in American politics: “support the military” quietly becomes “ship them off,” and propaganda does the rest.From there, we zoom out to the machinery that makes candidates like that possible. I talk through why Congress looks so inept, why the balance of power feels broken, and why I’d seriously consider repealing the 17th Amendment. We also pull back the curtain on corporatized elections, where Super PAC money, consulting firms, and turnkey campaign operations can plug candidates in and yank them out like parts in a machine.Then we get into the defense industrial base and the munitions story that TV loves to soften with buzzwords. We break down a Fox News segment line by line, question the “unlimited weapons” narrative, and do the uncomfortable math on Tomahawks, Patriot interceptors, THAAD, and 155 artillery shells. The big takeaway is simple: you cannot spin your way out of depleted stockpiles, and you cannot rebuild real capacity on a timeline that matches cable news outrage.If you want more episodes like this, subscribe, share it with a friend who still believes the talking points, and leave a review telling us what part hit hardest.Chapter Markers0:00 Bad Propaganda And War Porn2:27 A Senate Candidate Shrugs At War9:36 Why The Senate Became Trainable14:15 The Election Machine Up Close14:49 Fox Spins The Munitions Problem24:23 Why Money Does Not Fix Systems26:06 Stockpiles And Near Peer Reality30:58 Seven Year Deals And Contractor Power34:27 Tomahawk Math And Patriot Limits39:50 End The War And Retool Smart41:09 Wag Of The Finger For War Talk45:47 Wrap Up And Tomorrow’s PreviewSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  What the Lincoln Cover-Up Signals About Leadership: w/ Fmr Sec of the Navy / Senator James H. Webb 19.08.2026 56min

  The fastest way to spot a leadership problem is to listen to how people talk about the troops who are actually doing the work. We start with the USS Abraham Lincoln and the strain of extended time at sea, then zoom out to the bigger issue: when deployments stretch, port calls vanish, and maintenance piles up, it is not just “part of the job” anymore. It becomes a signal that our commitments, our force structure, and our priorities are out of alignment.Jim Webb Sr. joins us with a rare perspective, from Marine infantry in Vietnam to Secretary of the Navy to the US Senate, and he keeps coming back to a simple planning truth: you do not start with tactics, you start with strategy. We get into what real war planning considers first, endpoints, casualty estimates, medical capacity, sustainment, and why ignoring those basics shows up later as exhausted crews and brittle readiness. We also dig into dwell time, retention, and why the all-volunteer force breaks when leaders treat people like interchangeable parts.From there, the map widens. We talk Indo-Pacific strategy, carrier availability, and what it means to pull attention from East Asia while China watches and Russia pressures Japan over the Kuril Islands. We cover South Korea’s role in deterrence, the danger of transactional alliance thinking, and the knock-on risk of nuclear proliferation. We also hit logistics and resupply realities, because strategy is only real if you can sustain it.If you care about US Navy readiness, aircraft carriers, military leadership, deployment tempo, Indo-Pacific security, and avoiding another Middle East ground war, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who follows national security, and leave us a review with the question you want us to tackle next.Chapter Markers0:00 Opening And Why Leadership Matters3:05 The Lincoln Deployment And Respect8:40 Strategy First Not Tactics14:55 Navy Force Structure After Vietnam23:40 Dwell Time Burnout And Retention31:40 Carrier Readiness And Asia Risk37:55 Korea Alliances And The Kuril Islands43:55 Nuclear Proliferation And Nuclear Power49:55 Logistics Failures Resupply And Subic Bay53:55 Iran Posture Avoiding Ground Wars56:05 Where To Follow Jim Webb And ClosingSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  ARTA MOEINI : Fortress Iran - Mojtaba Khamenei is building a hardened, confrontational state 18.08.2026 1t 11min

  Dr. Arta Moeini is an international political theorist and a scholar of modernity and geopolitics whose research spans questions of civilizational power and cultural renewal, the role of ideology in statecraft, realist approaches to foreign policy, and global cultural pluralism. He was previously a visiting senior fellow with the U.S. Global Engagement initiative (USGE) at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Relations.Learn More Here: https://peacediplomacy.orgThe fastest way to lose a war is to start one without a strategy, then pretend the other side will “capitulate.” That’s where we think U.S. policy toward Iran has landed, and jw Dr. Arta Moeini joins me to explain why the danger now is not just another round of strikes, but a widening escalation with fewer and fewer exits. We talk through how negotiations get teased, sabotaged, and replaced by coercion, and why that pattern convinces Iran the U.S. is an unreliable partner that only understands cost and force.A big chunk of our conversation centers on “Fortress Iran” and autarky: the way decades of sanctions, isolation, and hybrid pressure can actually produce resilience. Instead of triggering sudden regime collapse, external aggression can tighten elite cohesion, expand internal control, and build redundancies that make Iran harder to coerce the next time around. We also dig into the credibility problem on all sides, including why nuclear sovereignty is not a side issue for Iran, and why offering fuel “for free” does not solve the trust gap when past deals get undercut.We then zoom out to grand strategy: forward basing, exposed U.S. troops, naval blockades, and the alarming reality that tactical nukes are being discussed at all. Finally, we connect the Middle East to the China challenge, the limits of power projection, and a realist framework built around core national interests, industrial strength, and Washingtonian restraint. Subscribe, share this with a friend who follows foreign policy, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or your sharpest disagreement.Chapter Markers0:00 Blowback From Regime Change1:31 Meet Arta Moini2:40 Why Escalation Looks Likely10:05 Off Ramps Get Sabotaged20:10 Nukes Talk And Bad Options31:45 Forward Basing Starts Failing40:50 Autarky And Iran’s Resilience52:00 Nuclear Sovereignty And Credibility1:02:10 China Reality And Spheres1:08:45 Washingtonian Realism To CloseSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  JOE KENT : Is Iran overreach now a strategic disaster? 17.08.2026 49min

  The scariest part of a standoff isn’t the loud headline, it’s the quiet assumption that we control the clock. We talk with Joe Kent about why the Iran war posture is so precarious right now: a fading diplomatic window, mixed signals from the White House, and troops and ships sitting inside an enemy’s strike envelope while Washington acts like escalation is optional.From the Gulf to the Strait of Hormuz, we unpack why regional partners may be rethinking US basing and security guarantees, and how that shifts leverage behind closed doors. Then we get concrete about US Navy readiness: carrier deployment tempo, redlined maintenance, shrinking logistics access, and how drones and ballistic missiles can disable the ports and resupply model the fleet has relied on for decades. The takeaway is blunt: you don’t have to sink a ship to strategically bleed a superpower.We also zoom out to the Indo-Pacific and China strategy. When resources move from Indo-Pacific Command to Central Command, allies notice, adversaries adapt, and credibility becomes harder to rebuild. That leads to a hard conversation about nuclear deterrence incentives, the message sent to partners like South Korea, and the uncomfortable reality that “limited” nuclear talk can surface when leaders refuse to change course.We close with the Afghanistan parallel and the Doha Accords lesson: leaving isn’t what creates humiliation, panicked exits after hubris do. If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a friend who follows US foreign policy, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Chapter Markers0:00 Stakes, Deadlines, And Confusion2:04 Peace Deal Clock And Oman Threats4:20 Gulf States Hedge Against US Bases6:59 Navy Strain And Logistics Under Attack12:46 Retention Burnout In Volunteer Forces17:03 China Pivot Risks And Pacific Allies26:42 How Nuclear Options Enter Planning32:16 Leadership Silence And Career Incentives35:22 Education, Propaganda, And Political Realignment40:33 Afghanistan Withdrawal As A Warning47:30 Closing, Upcoming Guests, And EventsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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  DARRYL COOPER - The Battle of Blair Mountain 14.08.2026 1t 24min

  A private army controls a coal town, a young police chief refuses to bend, and the fight over union power spills out of the mines and into the streets. We’re back with Darryl Cooper for the first half of our two-part deep dive on the Battle of Blair Mountain, starting where the fuse really catches: the aftermath of Matewan and the slow collapse of any shared belief that the legal system will protect coal miners in West Virginia.We talk through why the southern West Virginia coalfields became such volatile ground in the first place. The operators tried to prevent union organizing by mixing immigrants, local Appalachian “home boys,” and Black workers in the same crews and company towns. Instead of weakening bonds, it melted old divisions and built a hard, practical solidarity rooted in dangerous work, family eviction, and daily intimidation by Baldwin-Felts guards and paid deputies. Layer on the post World War I shift, the First Red Scare paranoia, and a final UMWA organizing push, and you get a strike that turns into a rolling armed conflict.Then the story tightens around Sid Hatfield: his rise as a folk hero, the prosecutions that look like a rigged game, and the courtroom drama that exposes spies and backroom pressure. It all leads to a brutal courthouse assassination that convinces thousands of miners there’s no longer a lawful path forward and sets the stage for the march that becomes Blair Mountain.If you want American labor history with real stakes, hit follow, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the series.Chapter Markers0:00 Cold Open And Guest Return1:00 Picking Up After Matewan2:05 How A Mixed Workforce United10:45 Postwar Shock And Union Strategy16:50 Frank Keeney Warns The Operators22:30 The Matewan Gunfight Retold31:20 Ninety Percent Union And Ultimatum37:40 Strike Violence And Guerrilla Tactics43:10 No Guard And Towns Flip Control48:50 Martial Law And Army Occupation55:30 Insurrection Powers And Mass Arrests1:01:40 Feltz Targets Sid Hatfield1:08:00 Trial Drama And The Spy Witness1:16:30 Acquittal And The Pressure Returns1:19:40 Sid Hatfield Gunned Down Outside Court1:23:20 Why Thousands Now March To WarSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jim-webb-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy